Many of us growing up wished we had our own pool. Some of us were lucky enough to have a neighborhood pool, a nearby lake, or a friend whose family had a pool in the backyard. Now that we’re older, of course, we know that pools come with upkeep and insurance and decide that the pool at the apartment complex or gym is quite enough.

However, that doesn’t stop us all from wanting to have some fun with friends on the weekend. Enter the best invention for pool parties in the last several years: group-size inflatables. That’s right – grab your closest four to six friends, some beer, and your bathing suits and hit the pool with an array of fun designs, my personal favorites being a giant unicorn, a pizza that splits into separate floats, and the inflatable island raft.

These have become so popular that some of the most sought-after inflatables are completely sold out, or only available at a special price on E-Bay. However, you can find a variety still available on Amazon, typically in the $125-200.00 price range.

Next time you decide to host a summer BBQ, a birthday party by the pool, or even a movie night on the water, you may want to consider one or more of these inflatables — after all, who can resist reliving a childhood dream?